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US 5,189,549 AGranted
Electrochromic, electroluminescent and electrochemiluminescent displays
AssigneeMolecular Displays, Inc.
InventorsNicholas Leventis, Mark S. Wrighton
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AssigneeMolecular Displays, Inc.
InventorsNicholas Leventis, Mark S. Wrighton
Estimating the term…
A display having an array of matrix addressable pairs of electrodes mounted face up on the same substrate. The pairs of electrodes are derivatized with either electrochromic materials or electroluminescent material to form the pixels of the display. In the electrochromic embodiment of the invention, a layer of a solid polymer electrolyte is included. The air of electrodes may also be left clean of derivatizing material, but with an electroluminescent substance dissolved in the solid polymer electrolyte. An electrochemiluminescent embodiment is also provided where the electrochemiluminescent substance can be dissolved in the solid polymer electrolyte. A method of patterning the electrolyte layer to form relatively non-conductive borders around each of the pairs by selective exposure of the electrolyte layer in the region of the border to electromagnetic radiation to cause permanent change in the chemical composition of the electrolyte so that the exposed border regions are rendered relatively non-conductive is also provided. An electrically reconfigurable photomask having an area comprised of an arrangement of electrochromic covered electrode pairs constituting pixels, the opacity and transmissivity of which may be controlled by application of an electrical bias to yield complete control over the transmissivity and opacity of each pixel of the areas, is also provided.
An electrochromic display pixel comprising a substrate, a pair of electrodes mounted face up and side by side on one side of said substrate and in close proximity to each other, at least one of said electrodes being coated on its face with a first chemical substance which is electrochromic, a layer of ionically conductive electrolyte over said electrode pair to complete an electrochemical cell so that when a bias is imposed between the electrodes of said pair, said first chemical substance changes its spectral absorption characteristics, a relatively non-conductive border region surrounding said pixel, and a transparent cover having a substantially non-conductive face in contact with said electrolyte layer.
A display comprising an array of matrix addressable pairs of electrodes, said array comprising:
A display pixel comprising a pair of first and second electrodes having faces in opposed and spaced apart relationship to each other, said first electrode including on its opposed face a coating of a first chemical substance which is electrochromic, said second electrode including on its opposed face a coating of a second chemical substance electrochemically complementary to said first chemical substance, a layer of electrolyte sandwiched between said coated first and second electrodes so that when a bias is imposed between said electrodes, said electrochromic first chemical substance changes its spectral absorption characteristics and a relatively non-conductive border region surrounding said pixel, said electrolyte including a metal complex that can photorelease a substance that reduces the mobility of the current supporting ions upon exposure to UV-light and said border region around said pixel being comprised of said electrolyte layer rendered relatively non-conductive in place by photorelease of said substance caused by selective exposure of said border region to UV-light.
A display pixel comprising a first electrode and a second electrode in opposed and spaced apart relationship to each other, said first electrode including on its opposed face a coating of a first chemical substance which is electrochromic, a layer of electrolyte covering and electrolytically connecting said coated first and second electrodes, said electrolyte including a substance that can release a base upon exposure to UV-light to neutralize the protons that are responsible for charge transport in the electrolyte thereby rendering the exposed electrolyte relatively non-conductive, said electrolyte layer including a border region surrounding said pixel rendered relatively non-conductive by release of said base and having a central region substantially free of said released base.
A display comprising an array of matrix addressable pixels, said display comprising:
A multilayer laminated display comprising at least first and second matrix addressable arrays of pixels, each of said arrays comprising:
A multilayer laminated display comprising first and second matrix addressable arrays of pixels, each of said arrays comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.